Town of Bethlehem hears Vista update

In an update on the Vista Technology Park, the developers presented plans for condominiums, as well as plans to reroute road access and decrease the amount of retail space in the park. Two major tenants were also announced.

A BBL Development Group representative brought the updated proposal before the Bethlehem Town Board during the Wednesday, March 25, meeting.

The $200 million, 400-acre technology park proposal calls for 1.4 million square feet of office space, and developers say it could lure up to 5,000 employees to the area.

Developers want to build more of a tech park then a mixed-use community, according to town Supervisor Jack Cunningham.

They reaffirmed their commitment to building a tech park, he said of the new plans.

William Herbert of BBL told town board members that a large medical manufacturing company and an electrical union would be two of the occupants of the park.

The town's economic development director, George Leveille, said the plans are still preliminary, and the actual companies have yet to be named because of contract reasons.

"They are basically in the site project review stage," Leveille said of when construction would begin. "It's premature at this time but they are starting to get specific tenants for specific buildings."

The new plans also included moving some roads around due to wetlands.

Herbert told residents and the town board that developers have also opted to build condominiums instead of a hotel that was in an earlier proposal.

Leveille praised the new plans saying that it avoids disturbing wetlands and moves the process forward.

Once BBL submits its site plan application, it would take between 60 and 180 days before they could break ground.

"Generally speaking, you're looking at about two to four months for approval," Leveille said. "I think it's important to start construction this year."